


A promise

by The_FlamingTiger



Series: Bumbleby Week 2019 [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Beacon Academy, Bumbleby Week 2019, F/F, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 14:42:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19871314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_FlamingTiger/pseuds/The_FlamingTiger
Summary: Day 5 of the Bumbleby Week!In their days at Beacon, Yang makes a promise to Blake. But is it something she'll be able to keep?





	A promise

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know your thoughts!

Blake had been staring at her all day long. Those golden orbs had been following her every movement, not once leaving her body. The attentive gaze held many emotions Yang couldn't name, but they were there. The blonde wouldn't be bothered if she knew where her partner's sudden interest in her came from. Blake usually just daydreamed in classes, or did some sketches, and some times took notes. So for her to be so focused on the brawler... something had to be up. Right?

'Right,' Yang silently decided, making a mental note to talk to the other girl once the last class of the day was over.

Thinking about it, though, Blake had been acting strangely around her ever since Team RWBY- plus Sun and Neptune- went out on their secret investigation. The raven haired girl would stare at her for a long time, and then her gaze would drift away when she noticed Yang was looking back. She observed Yang's training routine. She followed the blonde around, reading a book so the 'I didn't notice where I was going' excuse would work. And it did work in the first few days.

Today was too much for Yang, though. She needed to know what in Remnant was making Blake act so weird. They were partners, after all. She couldn't just let something like this slip. What if it damages their partnership? Or worse, their friendship?

The blonde's heart clenched with the thought. No, she couldn't let that happened. She couldn't lose Blake's friendship. She won't let herself lose it.

Yang decided it was best to pay attention to class and take some notes. Overthinking would do her no good, since it would create only assumptions and false expectations. Her eyes turned from the spot on a random place to Professor Oobleck, following the man as he ranted about something on Faunus History.

"Miss Xiao Long!" He chose her as the victim of a new question. "Tell me more about the Menagerie Island!" His voice was fast, caffeine ridden.

"Um... it's a tropical island to the southeast of Anima. The main settlement is Kuo Kuana, where the chieftain and most of the population live. The island has a large desert, too, which is said to have a lot of dangers and rare, not listed Grimm. It's said to be a very beautiful and peaceful place, but it's also explicit that there were intentions of segregation behind giving the place to the faunus. I mean... instead of actually putting effort on inclusive policies, the governments just said 'oh, you don't wanna be discriminated? Then don't bother living with us'. Hiding the dirt of discrimination under the carpet doesn't solve anything. Instead, it creates grudges and incites more violence."

By the end of her answer, all eyes were on Yang. She figured it was because no one actually expected her to answer like that. Or to answer at all. The only one who didn't have a surprised look was Blake, whose eyes expressed affection and pride.

"Hah." She heard Cardin Winchester's annoying voice, and already had the urge to punch him in the face. "As if any of that matters. For me, that's where they belong."

"Well, it does matter. If you actually did your homework instead of harassing students who're here to actually do something useful with their lives, you'd know that." Yang said, eyes burning his face. "And you don't have a say in where faunus do or do not belong if you don't even bother with their cause, or isn't one of them. So please, and I'm begging for everyone in this room that isn't you or your minions, kindly shut up."

Cardin looked angry, but he didn't want to be further humiliated by the blonde's assertive words. Just in time, the Professor cleared his throat and got the attention back to himself.

"Ms. Xiao Long is correct! Both about Menagerie and about the importance of caring about the Faunus Rights cause! You see, class, many issues in our society are provoked by the bad relations between faunus and humans..." and the rant went on, but Yang wasn't able to follow as Blake tapped her shoulder.

"That was good." The ravenette whispered, smiling at her partner with soft eyes.

"My answer to Oobleck or the part where I roasted Cardin?"

Blake chuckled, the hand on Yang's shoulder squeezing as she kept eye contact. "Both."

They kept looking at each other for some moments, their Professor's voice seeming more as a distant noise. The way they lost themselves in each other, just admiring the immensity of purple and yellow, was incredible. Blake's hand absentmindedly ran Yang's right arm, and settled over the blonde's own. The brawler's hand was unsurprisingly warm, a pleasant contrast to the faunus' own cold one. Yang's heart was beating so fast that she thought of just crossing the line between friends and lovers already.

Their moment was interrupted by the bell ringing, signaling the end of the class. Yang cursed it, as it was so rare- too rare- for Blake to initiate displays of affection. She was glad, though, because it meant she was going to be able to actually talk to her partner.

"Blake." The taller girl called the other's name as they exited the classroom.

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk?"

"Aren't we already talking?" Blake smirked teasingly, but there was a certain nervousness to it.

"You know what I mean." Yang rolled her eyes, smiling. "And I actually want to talk to you... alone."

"Something wrong?" There was concern in the shorter girl's eyes, and the blonde couldn't help but smile reassuringly at her.

"Not really, it's just... I don't know if it's something personal or not. Wouldn't want to have people listening to it, yeah?"

"Um... I guess?"

"So, can we talk?"

"Sure."

They dropped their books in their respective lockers, and then headed to the gardens of the Academy. They chose a very isolated spot and sat on the grass. The feeling of cool wind against their skin made them shiver a bit, but nothing that could bother them. They were face to face, but not quite looking at each other. Yang could see Blake's uneasiness, how her eyes looked everywhere but her, how her posture was tense, how her fingers were fidgeting in her lap. Those signs were small, but the brawler had learned to read Blake like a book and could capture every small detail.

Deciding to put an end to her partner's anxiety, Yang finally spoke.

"Blake, look, I don't know what's going through your mind, but you didn't do anything wrong. And I'm not mad, but..." Yang trailed off, not knowing how to word what she was thinking.

"But?" Blake asked, her heart beating hard and fast, a lump forming in her throat. How many times had she heard those words? 'I'm not mad, but...' and then a speech on everything that was wrong with her. He made sure she would fear it when someone started speaking to her like that. He scolded, and manipulated, and hurt her. Adam broke her.

But Yang wasn't him. No matter what the similarities- her semblance, her aggressive way of fighting, her temper at times- told her, she wasn't him at all.

"It's just... ever since our fight against Roman, you've been staring at me. Like, a lot. Almost all the time, and I wanted to know why. If there's something wrong, or something you'd like to talk about..."

Blake sighed in relief, but at the same time taken aback by the blonde's words. "I... uh..."

"It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it. I don't wanna pressure you or anything, I just wanted to know because I thought I might have done something wrong and that I hurt you. But if I did do something wrong, I guess I'm making it even worse and-"

"Yang, hey, slow down." Blake said. "You didn't do anything wrong. I've been acting weird because I'm worried."

"Worried? Why?"

"When Torchwick punched you and you went through that pillar, I... I thought you got hurt. Like, really hurt. And Ruby told me about your semblance, but it only made me even more worried. I understood why you threw yourself head into the danger. And I've been thinking... what if there's an opponent who can actually hurt you? What if throwing yourself into them isn't enough? I... I don't know what I would do if..." Blake swallowed, and then sighed. "You're my partner and the best friend I have, Yang. I can't handle seeing you get hurt."

"So... you've been observing me because you think I may get hurt?"

Blake nodded. "And I've been trying to think of ways that I can make myself better for it. So you don't have to always do that, so you don't have to take everything for us..."

"I appreciate it, Blake. Really, I do." The blonde took her partner's hands in her own, squeezing. "But you don't have to go out of your way just to make sure I'm safe. My semblance, my fighting style, my abilities... they come from taking what I can and sending it back. I feel it so I know what I'm giving back. I understand your worry, but honestly, the way you fight complements me perfectly. It's already perfect. You are the perfect partner for me, Blake."

Blake squeezed Yang's hands back, her heart beating faster. She stared deep into purple orbs, and the blonde held her gaze. Once again, they were lost in each other. This time it was more intimate, though. One of Yang's hands went to Blake's cheek, wiping a tear that the faunus didn't know she was spilling. The other went to her partner's shoulder, thumb rubbing it through the uniform blazer. Blake leaned in, resting her forehead against Yang's, hands on the blonde's arms.

"Just please... try to be more careful..."

"I'll try."

They stayed a bit more like that, as butterflies and birds flew around them. It was a beautiful place, a hidden garden where their love for each other grew even more. The bonding moment was the most intimate they had had to that day, and it made their partnership and friendship grow.

-+-

Yang's eyes opened as she woke up in her bed at her house in Patch. She stared at the ceiling for some minutes, and then the tears started falling. She closed her eyes and sobbed softly, trying to keep quiet. It was the first time in a few weeks that she hadn't had a nightmare, but this memory was as emotionally wrecking as any other she niggt terror that haunted her. The happy moments she had with Blake when they were still in Beacon before everything fell... they were the ones that got to her the most.

She didn't say it, but she missed her.

She didn't see it, but she wanted her there.

She didn't think it, but she needed Blake Belladonna almost like she needed air to breathe.

Yang looked to her right, seeing what was left of her arm. She let out another sob, thinking of the promised she made to Blake all these months ago.

"I tried..."

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't kill me KABDAKDBAK


End file.
